Anstalt WIGMO / SODEMAC / SODEMAZ

  1964 to unknown date

  Congo Leopoldville

TYPE: Maintenance organization & charter airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil

HEADQUARTERS: Liechtenstein (but practically Leopoldville Ndjili, Congo)

OTHER NAMES: Anstalt WIGMO ("Institution" Western International Ground Maintenance Organization) (1964-1969), SODEMAC (Societe d'Entretien et de Maintenance d'Avions au Congo) (1969-1971), SODEMAZ (Societe d'Entretien et de Maintenance d'Avions au Zaire) (from 1971)

Anstalt WIGMO was incorporated in Liechtenstein in 1964, but it was for all intents and purposes a Congolese company posing as a private maintenance contractor. As a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) front company, it provided maintenance support to large parts of the Congolese armed forces in the 1964–1968 period. Anstalt WIGMO also provided aircraft during the same period, flown mostly by exiled Cuban pilots under the nickname "Makasi Squadron" - 'makasi' meaning 'strong' in Lingala, the local dialect. The CIA's objective was to help the Congolese fight the Maoist Simba rebels in eastern Congo and the Communist FNLA in Angola, after Congress had prohibited direct support from the USA.

During the Congolese civil war, Anstalt WIGMO operated a fleet of T-28 Trojans and six B-26 Invaders for counter-insurgency duties, and a handful of Commandos for military transportation. The Trojans were later given to the Congolese Air Force, which used them until the 1970's.

Anstalt WIGMO was renamed SODEMAC (Societe D’Entretien et de Maintenance d’Avions au Congo) in late 1969, and SODEMAZ when the country changed its name to Zaire.

September 1964 to December 1971

Anstalt WIGMO's transport operation started when the CIA recognized the need to have its own transports to support T-28 and B-26 operations. The Commando and the Douglas C-54 Skymaster were the most common transport aircraft used by the CIA in those days, but most runways in Congo were too short to accommodate the latter. The first two Commandos, 9T-PLA and -PLB started flying in September 1964.

Later, Anstalt WIGMO purchasing a wreck that had crashed in Congo, operated for the UN by Transair Sweden. It repaired it and returned it to service. The following year, it acquired two former Fairline Commandos through a Liechtenstein company called Aero Suppliers Establishment. Some sources mention four Commandos in total. Some aircraft seem to have had a civilian registration (9Q-), some a military one (9T-), and some both.

All these Commandos were used for the logistical support of the Makasi Squadron, fighting from secondary airports deep in the Congo.

• Curtiss C-46D Commando: 9T-PLC
• Curtiss C-46F Commando: 9T-PLB, 9T-PLD
• Smith Super 46C Commando: 9T-PLA, 9T-PLG, 9Q-CRP/9T-PLJ, 9Q-CWN / 9T-PLK, 9Q-CWR/9T-PLL
• Other Commandos: 9T-PLH